Romeinse soldaat Horatius Cocles te paard op brug van Tiber te Rome 1500 - 1527

This print by Marcantonio Raimondi depicts the Roman soldier Horatius Cocles on horseback defending the Tiber bridge. Look at how Horatius, with his sword raised high, embodies the Roman virtue of virtus—courage and moral strength. The heroic pose of Horatius, eternally preserved in this print, is more than a snapshot of history. It taps into a wellspring of cultural memory. We see echoes of this archetype in countless images across time, from classical sculptures of triumphant warriors to Renaissance paintings of battling saints. The raised sword—a gesture of defiance and power—reappears in various guises, each iteration subtly influenced by its predecessors. Consider how such symbols permeate our collective consciousness, resurfacing in new forms and contexts. This image’s emotional power lies in its ability to evoke a deep, subconscious recognition of humanity's timeless struggles and triumphs.